Glen Hughes (left), vice president of industry relations for the American Sportfishing Association, presents the award for Best Kid’s Tackle to the crew of Steinhauser.
Each year, companies from all corners of the sportfishing industry bring their newest products to ICAST to be showcased, and each year, the industry votes within itself on which products are the best of the best. The Best of the Show awards are the result; this year’s presentation took place Wednesday evening, with 24 companies walking away with top honors.
This year, the winning companies and categories were:
Freshwater Rod: St. Croix Rods—Legend Glass Rod
Saltwater Rod: Team Lew’s Mach Speed Stick/Inshore Rod—Avid Inshore
Fly Fishing Rod: St. Croix Rods—SOLE Rod
Freshwater Reel: Team Lew’s—Custom Pro SLP
Saltwater Reel: Pure Fishing—Penn Slammer III
Fly Fishing Reel: Pure Fishing—Pflueger President Fly Reel
Hard Lure: Savage Gear—3D Suicide Duck
Soft Lure: Squidnation—Longtail Flippy Floppy
Lifestyle Apparel: Under Armour—Men’s UA Fish Stalker
Technical Apparel: Plano Synergy—Frabill I-Float Suit
Boating Accessory: Johnson Outdoors—MINN KOTA ULTREX
Boats: Johnson Outdoors Watercraft—Old Town Predator PDL
Combo: Team Lew’s—Mach II Speed Spool Combo
Electronics: Johnson Outdoors—Humminbird Helix 10 SI
Eyewear: Costa—Rafael Sunglasses
Fishing Accessory: Yeti Coolers—Hopper Flip 12
FishSmart: Adventure Products—EGO Kryptek SI Genesis Landing Net
Fly Fishing Accessory: Boomerang—Retractable Fly Box
Footwear: Shimano—Flats Wading Boots
Giftware: Weego—Jump Starter 44
Kid’s Tackle: Steinhauser—48-inch Starter Rod Combos
Line: P-Line—Tactical Fluorocarbon
Tackle Management: Cobra—Garage Door Storage Rack
Terminal Tackle: Trapper Tackle—DropShot/Live Bait/Finesse Hooks
And the overall Best of the Show award went to . . . Johnson Outdoors for its MINN KOTA ULTREX.
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- Best Soft Lure: Squidnation’s Longtail Flippy Floppy
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- Best Fishing Accessory: Yeti’s Hopper Flip 12
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- Best Fly Fishing Reel: Pure Fishing’s Pflueger President Fly Reel
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- Best Fly Fishing Accessory: Boomerang’s Retractable Fly Box
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- Best Freshwater Reel: Team Lew’s Custom Pro SLP
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- Best Fishing Line: P-Line’s Tactical Fluorocarbon
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- Best Terminal Tackle: Trapper Tackle’s DropShot/Live Bait/Finesse Hooks
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- Best of the Show: Johnson Outdoors’ MINN KOTA ULTREX
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- Best Lifestyle Apparel: Under Armour’s Men’s UA Fish Stalker
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- Best Giftware: Weego’s Jump Starter 44
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- Best Electronic: Johnson Outdoors’ Humminbird Helix 10 SI
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- Best Footwear: Shimano’s Flats Wading Boots
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- Best Tackle Management: Cobra’s Garage Door Storage Rack
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- Best Technical Apparel: Plano Synergy’s Frabill I-Float Suit
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- Best Saltwater Reel: Pure Fishing’s Penn Slammer III
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- Best Hard Lure: Savage Gear’s 3D Suicide Duck
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- Best Eyewear: Costa’s Rafael Sunglasses
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- Best Boat: Johnson Outdoor Watercraft’s Old Town Predator PDL
